Capital city: Wellington

Region: Pacific

Area: 268 680 km²

Population: 3 864 129

Main cities: Auckland, Christchurch, Napier-Hastings, Dunedin, Hamilton, Waitemata, Palmerston North, Invercargill, New Plymouth, Nelson Whangarei, Whanganui

Currency: New Zealand dollar

Dial code: 64

Internet code: NZ

Information: New Zealand (land of the long white cloud, "Aotearoa" in Maori) is a temperate country located in southwest Pacific and which is part of Oceania. The country consists of two main islands, and of many other smaller islands, some of them quite far. South Island is the biggest: it is divided in its length by the Southern Alps, which culminates at 3754 metres with the Mount Cook. It has 18 peaks rising over 3000 m. Many scenes of the Lord of the Rings have been made in this mountainous landscape. The North Island is less mountainous, but has a more active volcanic and geothermal activity. Its highest point, Mount Ruapehu (2797 m), is an active volcano. There are smaller and less populated islands. The most known are: Stewart Island (to the south of South Island), the third biggest island with a population of 400, Waiheke Island, located in the Hauraki Gulf with a population of 7000 (more in summer), and the Great Barrier island to the east of the Hauraki Gulf, the third most populated island of New Zealand.